Gesualdo Tenebrae Responsoria CD

Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responsoria / Composer: Carlo Gesualdo / Conductor: Francesco Cera / Number of Discs: 1 / Length: 1 Hours 18 Mins. / Recorded in 2013. Don Carlo Gesualdo was an Italian nobleman, remembered for two particular feats: one is the murder of his wife and her lover, the other is his extraordinary music, in which he stretches tonality and chromatism to it's limits, creating a haunting and sometimes even sinister atmosphere, foreshadowing 20th century music (he was one of Stravinsky's favorite composers). The Tenebrae Responsoria were part of the Liturgy for the Holy week, and are embedded in the story of The Passion of Christ, making use of texts from the St Matthew gospel and the Psalms. It is a moving and highly dramatic work, in which Gesualdo makes frequent use of "tone painting", the musical depiction of human emotions, like weeping and crying, desolation and dejection. Superb performances by Ensemble Arte Musica, led by Francesco Cera, specialist in this field.

1. Introduction 2. Seniores Populi 3. Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 4. Amicus Meus 5. Jesus Asks to Prepare the Last Supper 6. Unus Ex Discipulis 7. The Last Supper 8. In Monte Oliveti 9. Jesus Arrested 10. Jesum Tradidit Impius 11. Jesus Before the Sanhedrin - Peter Disowns Jesus 12. Plange Quasi Virgo 13. Judas Hangs Himself - Jesus Before Pilate I 14. Sicut Ovis Ad Occisionem 15. Jesus Before Pilate II 16. Omnes Amici Mei 17. The Crucifixion of Jesus 18. Tenebrae Factae Sunt 19. Velum Templi Scissum Est 20. The Centurion - Burial of Jesus 21. Sepulto Domino